Carlyle Group To Acquire Oriental Trading Co.

Private equity firm The Carlyle Group has signed a definitive agreement to buy party and school supplies DMer Oriental Trading Company.

Omaha, NE-based Oriental Trading Company has 18 million customers on file, mails 300 million catalogs annually and offers 25,000 product SKUs in categories like party supplies, novelties, toys, arts and crafts, school supplies, home decor and giftware.

The company operates three Web sites -- orientaltrading.com, terrysvillage.com and

funexpress.com. The sites account for nearly half of its total revenues. Oriental Trading was founded in 1932 and sources the majority of its merchandise from China through direct relationships.

Private Equity firm Brentwood Associates purchased Oriental Trading in 2000 and will maintain a minority stake in the company.